MT post - editing : How to shed light on the " unknown task

This paper describes a project currently under way at SAP dealing with the task of post-editing MT output. As a concrete result of the project, a standard post-editing guide to be used by translator end users is currently being created. The purpose of this post-editing guide is not only to train and support translators in the daily work with MT but also to make the post-editing task more accessible to them, thus encouraging an open-minded attitude towards translation technology. Furthermore the systematic error typology underlying the guide serves not only as a methodological framework for the research on post-editing but also as a diagnosis for necessary corrections and enhancements to be carried out in the corresponding MT systems used. In the context of the project description, the related research in the field of automated translation processes as well as the experiences made with MT at SAP are illustrated.